Evangeline

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Evangeline was born in October 2013 and abandoned when she was around 6 months old. She has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and is receiving rehabilitation training to improve her abilities. November 2017 update below!

SPECIAL FOCUS CHILD RELEASED TO THE SHARED LIST

Evangeline’s adoption file was completed in February 2015 when she was 16 months old and she was said to be a very smart and outgoing girl. Although she moved slower than other children, she was receiving rehabilitation training and had learned to sit, hold her head up and touch toys around her with her hands. At each rehabilitation session she was said to be very happy and cooperative. She was babbling and would laugh happily. Shortly before her report she had begun standing with support.

When Evangeline’s caretaker would call to her she would hold her head up to look and laugh happily. Although not afraid of strangers, she enjoyed being with familiar people. When visitors would talk to her she responded happily. Evangeline’s medical report also mentions Estropia of eyes, Umbilical Hernia and Hydrocephalus but there is no description of how these affect her day to day living (if at all).

Evangeline is currently living in a wonderful group foster home. They describe her as being “a bright-eyed, easygoing little girl who is delighted to interact with people whenever she has the chance.”

She cannot speak words. Her sounds are mostly “ah” sounds that she makes mainly to get attention when someone comes into the room. She cannot roll, sit, or stand independently. She can cooperate when her nanny works on rolling with her and she can lift her head for short periods of time when in a supported sit.

She has minimal control of her head. She can raise her head when put into a prone position. She expresses herself by crying and smiling and is learning to use her eyes to communicate. She does not use speech. She always enjoys being with people and is very expressive with her face when in a one on one situation. She drinks mainly milk and likes it sweet. She works on using a spoon with pureed food but most of her calories are obtained through a bottle.

She is happy to interact with everyone but she seems to particularly try to get the attention of people she knows when they come into the room. She has been in the care of an NGO in her institution since she was a year old and receives daily positioning, spends time in the standing frame, and receives range of motion stretches. She has recently been seeming to make choices or answer questions with eye gaze.